I actually find Kevin J. Anderson pretty readable. Planet of Twilight was like pulling teeth._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 4:56 pm

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JediMara77EUC Staff

Joined: 14 Apr 2011Posts: 106Location: Disney World

The Dark Nest trilogy._________________“You are greater than the Jedi of the former days. Because unlike the Knights of old, Jedi Luke Skywalker…you are not afraid of the dark.”

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 4:23 am

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Lord Ree'diusMaster

Joined: 11 Apr 2011Posts: 700Location: The Unknown Regions

Crash Override wrote:

Kevin J. Anderson's books read like they're written for teenagers, but they aren't so boring that you have to will yourself to read through them like Hambly's books are. I think KJA and Karpyshyn are pretty similar in prose style.

They are written for incredibly dense teenagers then. KJA just can't write. It's not just that he writes for teenagers, the man can't really write at all.
Nothing that happens in his books is ever surprising, He uses a deus ex machina at every turn and lets the most stupid of things happen!
Only KJA would think that you can reach Leia's appartment on Corusant by climbing up vents that start in the undercity or that the whole of the New Republic is to dense to see that Mon Mothma is poisoned by ambassador Furgan. He comes up with things like the diversity alliance or the Darksaber and has to tie everything back in with the films even when he's already trying to put way too much stuff into one book already.
It must have been a while since you read KJA's books if you're comparing them to Karpyshyn's work in whatever way possible. What would be the main similarities between the two?

And what is so wrong about the Hambly books besides people disliking the whole idea behind Callista. No I'm not that into Callista either, but putting that aside I think the Hambly novels are pretty well written. What is so bad about Hambly's writing style if I may ask y'all?_________________"Strong you are with the dark side, young one. But not that strong.
Still much to learn, you have. Surrender, you should."

"You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

And what is so wrong about the Hambly books besides people disliking the whole idea behind Callista. No I'm not that into Callista either, but putting that aside I think the Hambly novels are pretty well written. What is so bad about Hambly's writing style if I may ask y'all?

I find her writing to be a bit unbearable. I recall vaguely the first paragraph of Planet of Twilight being some nonsense about describing the Force as rain that Leia could feel or something. I just recall thinking it sounded like a bad romance novel._________________All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

Those without swords can still die upon them

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:52 am

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Caedus_16Master

Joined: 15 Apr 2008Posts: 5339Location: Korriban

I've given up arguing in favor of Callista. I wasn't huge on Planet of Twilight but I enjoyed Children of the Jedi. I just gave up and accepted that I like them and others won't so oh well_________________Perfection is a lifelong pursuit requiring sacrifice. The only way to get it quicker is to sacrifice the most.

Sorry, Caedus. If it makes you feel any better, I'm probably pretty alone in my affection for Anakin Skywalker.

I like Anakin, I just hated Hayden's portrayal because I felt he was wooden and easier to call whiny. Luke was a tad whiny too, but Mark Hamill pulled it off better and it came across as conflicted. With Hayden it just didn't work._________________Perfection is a lifelong pursuit requiring sacrifice. The only way to get it quicker is to sacrifice the most.

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:59 am

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JediMara77EUC Staff

Joined: 14 Apr 2011Posts: 106Location: Disney World

Callista would have been an interesting character had she died at the end of Children of the Jedi. The body-swapping just did not work, and turned her into a simpering idiot. And I wanted Luke to have a love interest by this time, as they obviously weren't going anywhere with Mara._________________“You are greater than the Jedi of the former days. Because unlike the Knights of old, Jedi Luke Skywalker…you are not afraid of the dark.”

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 6:03 pm

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 7787Location: Sailing into the unknown

It's been too long since I've read Hambly to remember properly. I remember it taking weeks to get through though._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 6:27 pm

Message

Crash OverrideMaster

Joined: 22 Dec 2010Posts: 1962

Lord Ree'dius wrote:

Crash Override wrote:

Kevin J. Anderson's books read like they're written for teenagers, but they aren't so boring that you have to will yourself to read through them like Hambly's books are. I think KJA and Karpyshyn are pretty similar in prose style.

They are written for incredibly dense teenagers then. KJA just can't write. It's not just that he writes for teenagers, the man can't really write at all.
Nothing that happens in his books is ever surprising, He uses a deus ex machina at every turn and lets the most stupid of things happen!
Only KJA would think that you can reach Leia's appartment on Corusant by climbing up vents that start in the undercity or that the whole of the New Republic is to dense to see that Mon Mothma is poisoned by ambassador Furgan. He comes up with things like the diversity alliance or the Darksaber and has to tie everything back in with the films even when he's already trying to put way too much stuff into one book already.
It must have been a while since you read KJA's books if you're comparing them to Karpyshyn's work in whatever way possible. What would be the main similarities between the two?

And what is so wrong about the Hambly books besides people disliking the whole idea behind Callista. No I'm not that into Callista either, but putting that aside I think the Hambly novels are pretty well written. What is so bad about Hambly's writing style if I may ask y'all?

I don't disagree about KJA. He's the equivalent of a crappy action movie. You have to shut your brain off to read it. But it's not ridiculously boring like Hambly. And like I said in the other thread, I'm reading Specter of the Past, and the novel itself is weakened by the fact that Zahn has to acknowledge KJA's contributions, and I feel like "Hey, you got KJA in my Zahn."

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:55 pm

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BalooPadawan

Joined: 29 Sep 2011Posts: 71

While I've never read any of Kevin J. Anderson's original books, I must say I LOVED Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, and can't wait to read more of the Tales books.

Judging from what you guys have said though, I might just stay away from his original work.

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:28 am

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Darth SkuldrenModerator

Joined: 04 Feb 2008Posts: 6916Location: Missouri

First off, on KJA, I read the Jedi Academy Trilogy after The Thrawn Trilogy and I really enjoyed it. But these were the first Star Wars books I ever read. I've never reread them, so I'm not sure if my opinion would change now that I've read all the others.

Also, I have read KJA's original fiction and it's really good. In fact, I've read his original fiction recently, and compared to ALL of the Star Wars books (not just his) some of it is way better than any Star Wars book (even Stover). They guy can write when he gets a good idea. Not every writer blows your mind with every book.

Now Planet of Twilight, Children of the Jedi, Crystal Star, and Darksaber were all books I liked. Planet of Twilight had a Jedi Hutt. Darksaber had a Hutt building a superlaser lightsaber. Crystal Star, one of the few Star Wars novels I've actually reread (I've got it in hardcover now) not only has Waru, who I like (though I wish it was a more tangible creature) but I thought Han was very well done in that book. And Children of Jedi had Gamorreans in it, which I liked.

I'm a sucker for aliens. _________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:31 am

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Crash OverrideMaster

Joined: 22 Dec 2010Posts: 1962

I'm surprised that you disliked Daley's stories but like Hambly's two novels. I'll agree that Daley's are somewhat difficult to get through, but I think Hambly's have the same issue, except worse.

As for The Crystal Star, I have no dislike for Waru. However, the characterizations are off. At least, I remember Luke being off. But that may have been intentional due to the eponymous crystal star and its effect on the Force. I didn't dislike the book when I read it, but I really didn't dislike any of the Bantam books when I read them -- except the Hambly novels. Given the fact that I thought the characters were off in The Crystal Star when I read it and I was maybe nine or ten years old, I have to think that they were pretty off though for me to notice it at that age. My uncritical eye at that point was very generous in my reading.

I'm surprised that no one has said Ruins of Dantooine. That novel is so bad that you don't have to read it to know that it's bad.

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:40 am

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 7787Location: Sailing into the unknown

The characterizations were horrible.

Luke was weird. I'm not sure how exactly but he was just weird. And he swore! I don't mind characters swearing to a certain degree but this is Luke Skywalker!

Leia was irritating. She was a politician straight out of The Clone Wars.

And Han had this whole 'it's okay to look' nonsense going on._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Speaking of bad characterization, anyone remember The Courtship of Princess Leia? I think it was a decent book and Han and Leia were wonderful, but Luke was SO OFF. I can't even. Nearly wrecked the whole thing for me._________________All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.